SENATOR MARKEY AND COLLEAGUES REINTRODUCE LEGISLATION DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE TO ISSUE A ROHINGYA GENOCIDE DETERMINATION

PRESS RELEASE

APRIL 14, 2021

Washington (April 14, 2020) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the East Asia Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) today introduced legislation requiring the Secretary of State to determine whether attacks by Burmese military and security forces against the Rohingya minority constitute genocide. Since August 25, 2017, around 740,000 Rohingya have fled Burma (also known as Myanmar) to neighboring Bangladesh to escape a brutal campaign of atrocities by Burma’s military and security forces, including systematic murder and sexual and gender-based violence. On February 1, 2021 the Burmese military carried out a coup against the democratically elected, civilian-led government and has since killed more than 700 civilians during widespread peaceful protests and strikes in opposition to the coup.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and other State Department officials have committed to Senator Markey that there will be an interagency process to determine whether the atrocities committed against the Rohingya in Burma constitute genocide, but have not indicated a timeline for that decision to be announced.

South Korea provides $1m to IOM to support Rohingyas affected in recent fire

Dhaka Tribune

UNB
April 10th, 2021

Massive fire at Balukhali Rohingya camp in Cox's Bazar on Monday, March 22, 2021 Dhaka Tribune

The donation will support activities in response to the recent Rohingya camp fire in Cox’s Bazar

The government of South Korea has decided to provide emergency support of US $1 million to the International Organization of Migration (IOM) in order to support the humanitarian activities in response to the massive fire that broke out recently at the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar.

‘Come and see for yourselves’

THE Star

IMRAN HILMY

Sunday, 11 Apr 2021

LANGKAWI: Their 30ha settlement is a somewhat secluded neighbourhood hidden away from the iconic eagle in Kuah town and unknown to many Malaysians visiting this “touristy” island.

Concern Worldwide Evaluation Report: Rohingya Emergency Response (2017 - 2020) - October 2020

Source-Concern

10 Apr 2021

Link : Here

Rohingya issue not Bangladesh’s responsibility alone: Kerry

Prothomalo

Diplomatic CorrespondentDhaka
09 Apr 2021,

John Kerry, the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate speaks at a joint briefing in the state guest house Padma after meeting with the foreign minister AK Abdul Momen on FridayCourtesy

Applauding Bangladesh for its extraordinary support for hosting 1.1 million Rohingya in the country, John Kerry, the United States’ Special Presidential Envoy for Climate on Friday said that the global community must step up its efforts in resolving the Rohingya crisis as it is not the responsibility of Bangladesh alone.

He came up with the views at a joint briefing in the state guest house Padma after meeting with the foreign minister AK Abdul Momen on Friday.

He said the US president Joe Biden is grateful for the support of Bangladesh towards the Rohingya people.

‘Supreme Court has signed our death warrant’: Rohingya in India

Aljazeera
Aakash Hassan
9 Apr 2021

Supreme Court refuses to stop deportation of about 170 Rohingya detained in the Indian-administered Kashmir region’s Jammu area last month.

India's Supreme Court also underlined government’s claim that Rohingya posed a 'threat to internal security of the country' [File: Altaf Qadri/AP]

Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir – India’s Supreme Court has refused to stop the deportation to Myanmar of about 170 Rohingya refugees detained in the Indian-administered Kashmir region’s Jammu area, with the members of the beleaguered community calling it a “death warrant” issued by the court.

“Possibly that is the fear that if they go back to Myanmar, they will be slaughtered. But we cannot control all that,” the top court said on Thursday, stating that the fundamental right to settle in India is available only to its citizens.

US focuses on Myanmar issues, lauds Bangladesh's extraordinary generosity for Rohingyas

Dhaka Tribune 

UNB
April 9th, 2021

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to be recognized for Bangladesh's leadership in tackling climate crisis

The US remains very focused on helping all concerned in finding a solution to the Rohingya crisis and restoring democracy in Myanmar, John Kerry, the US special presidential envoy for climate, said on Friday.

He appreciated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's leadership in demonstrating "extraordinary active generosity" which, he thinks, is very expensive for Bangladesh.

Kerry made the remarks while responding to a question at a joint briefing at state guesthouse Padma after his meeting with Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen in Dhaka.

He said the global community needed to step up in demonstrating their responsibility.

US Special Envoy: Restoring Democracy in Myanmar Will Ease Bangladesh's Rohingya Burden

Radio Free Asia

2021-04-09

US presidential climate envoy John Kerry (left) speaks during a press conference with Bangladesh foreign minister A.K. Abdul Momen in Dhaka, Apri 9, 2021

Updated at 3:25 p.m. ET on 2021-04-09

Democracy must be restored in Myanmar to ease the Rohingya refugee burden on Bangladesh, U.S. special envoy John Kerry said Friday during a lightning visit to the South Asian nation to drum up support for a Washington-hosted climate summit.

The American diplomat heaped praise on Bangladesh for its “extraordinary” generosity in sheltering the refugees from Myanmar, and even mentioned Dhaka’s controversial decision to relocate thousands to a flood-prone island.

He called the current situation in Myanmar “one of the great moral challenges of the planet today,” in referring to a coup and deadly violence against civilians by the same military that caused hundreds of thousands of traumatized Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh in 2017.

Video: SC on Rohingya, SC on Anil Deshmukh’s plea

INDIA

LEGAL

April 8, 2021

Supreme Court refuses to release Rohingyas detained in Jammu, says they should be deported to Myanmar

Supreme Court dismisses Maharashtra govt, Anil Deshmukh challenge against CBI probe Make masks mandatory during poll campaigns, plea asks; Delhi HC seeks response from Centre and EC Kashi Vishwanath Mandir-Gyanvapi Masjid dispute: Varanasi court clears ASI survey of mosque

SC to hear PIL seeking release, protection of Rohingyas

BIG NEWS NETWORK

ANI

8th April 2021,

New Delhi [India], April 7 (ANI): The Supreme Court will pass its order on a petition seeking release and protection of over 150 Rohingya refugees in Jammu and Kashmir.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde will pronounce the order on the intervention application filed by Mohammad Salimullah, a Rohingya refugee, through advocate Prashant Bhushan.

MSF and the Rohingya 1992-2014

Analysis
Source :MSF 

8 Apr 2021

Dhaka seeks serious regional, multilateral initiatives over Rohingya repatriation

Dhaka Tribune

UNB
April 7th, 2021

Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune

The crisis might turn into a broader regional and global security issue, speakers said during the webinar

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said they should now seriously consider regional or multilateral initiatives for the repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar as it remains a compelling priority for Bangladesh.

"Canada, with its global stature and standing on human rights issues, may consider taking a lead in such initiatives. Bangladesh always stands ready to work with Canada and other partners in this direction," he said.

Thousands of Rohingya Refugees in Northwest India Live in Fear of Deportation

VOA

VOA News

06 April 2021

 Thousands of Rohingya refugees live in temporary camps in India’s northwestern Jammu and Kashmir region, where they fear deportation back to Myanmar. VOA Urdu Service’s Zubair Dar visited a camp of people in Bathindi Narval who said they fled abuses and do not want to go back. Roshan Noorzai narrates the story. VOA Khmer's Leakhena Sreng narrates the story in Khmer. 

Link : Here

Why Myanmar’s massacres shame the world

ARAB NEWS

YOSSI MEKELBERG
April 03, 2021

Anti-coup protesters aim to defend themselves with homemade air rifles during a demonstration against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, Saturday, April 3, 2021. (AP)

When representatives of all UN member states met in 2005 for the World Summit, billed at the time as the “largest gathering of world leaders in history,” and passed a resolution that set out the parameters for the Responsibility to Protect populations (R2P) from genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing, there was an air of togetherness and optimism that the journey toward eradicating these horrific phenomena had begun.

In the intervening years, this hope has been dented time and time again when such atrocities have been committed by some of the very countries that supported this resolution, while others have remained silent, or reacted to them with no real conviction. Recent events in Myanmar are a tragic reminder that R2P is still far from a universal commitment in the face of brutal regimes in the mould of the military one in Yangon, led by Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who staged a coup against the elected government in February this year.

Islamic Zakat donations reached millions of refugees in 2020

TRT WORLD
02 April 2021

Compared to four years ago, Zakat funds increased in record numbers last year, helping more than two million refugees across the world, according to UNHCR.

The latest Islamic Philanthropy report of the UNHCR has shown that Islamic Zakat donations in 2020 saw a big increase compared to previous years, amounting to $61.5 million, reaching more than two million displaced people across the world.

Compared to the period of 2016-2018, when Islamic donations had reached more than 34,000 people, last year, both Zakat and Sadaqah, along with Sadaqah Jariyah, which are other forms of religious donations, helped nearly 2.1 million people in total.

India: Rising detentions spark panic among Rohingya

AA

Ahmad Adil 

NEW DELHI

01.04.2021

4 more Rohingya held by authorities in Indian capital, community says more than 12 detained over past week

At least four Rohingya refugees were detained in New Delhi on Wednesday for not having “proper documents,” giving rise to further apprehensions among community members living in India’s capital.

“There were four of them and they were sent to the Foreigner Regional Registration Office,” Rajendra Prasad Meena, a senior police officer, told Anadolu Agency, without sharing any further details.

Another cop, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, also gave a short response, saying the Rohingya refugees were detained because they did not have “valid documents.”

'How Can a Human Being Be Illegal?': Lawyer for Rohingya Questions India's Deportation Plans

THE WIRE
Ismat Ara
01/APR/2021

A large number of Rohingya refugees have been detained over the last month and the threat of deportation looms over them.

Rohingya children playing in a camp in Delhi. Photo: Ismat Ara

New Delhi: Indian authorities are preparing to deport Rohingya refugees currently lodged in detention centres made for undocumented migrants. Close to 300 Rohingya were detained across India just in the month of March 2021.

In 2017, thousands of Rohingya people had fled Myanmar, either by foot or sea, after the Myanmar army’s targeted violence against the community. However, the Rohingya had been fleeing Myanmar to take shelter in neighbouring countries including India for years before that too.

2,495 Rohingyas off to Bhasan Char in sixth phase

Prothom Alo

Prothom Alo English Desk
31 Mar 2021,

First batch of Rohingyas arrives at Bhasan Char, NoakhaliProthom Alo file photo

Nearly 2,500 Rohingyas are being relocated from the camps in Cox’s Bazar to Bhasan Char island in the sixth phase.

Cox’s Bazar Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Shah Rezwan Hayat said 47 buses carrying the Rohingyas have reached Chattogram.

Rohingyas willing to go to Bhasan Char were brought to the temporary transit point at Ukhiya Degree College ground and given necessary items including food, water and medicine.

Rohingya Majhis (leaders) said many forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals are now willing to move to Bhasan Char after learning about the facilities and quality of life there.

BRAC takes special initiative to support Rohingya fire victims

METRO
UNB, Dhaka
29 March, 2021

BRAC has taken up an initiative for rehabilitation of Rohingya refugees, who have been affected in a fire incident at Rohingya camps in Ukhiya upazila of Cox’s Bazar district.

Aided by the government, BRAC in coordination with development organisations started food distribution, supply of pure drinking water, construction of shelter and other emergency works at No. 8 and 9 Rohingya camps at Balukhali in Ukhiya.

On behalf of BRAC, 34,000 liters of water was distributed, 49 deep tube-well and 239 shallow tube-well repaired and 319 latrines repaired for the affected people till March 28, said a press release.

Disgraceful generals are turning Myanmar into a pariah state

The Telegraph

TELEGRAPH VIEW

29 March 2021 

The sight of senior military officers in Myanmar celebrating the country’s Armed Forces Day at the weekend with a lavish party after troops had earlier shot dead more than 100 protesters was sickening. As the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said, it represented a new low in the country’s recent lurch back to despotism after a brief flirtation with democracy. Children were among those gunned down and the security forces even intervened in funerals to arrest those who had taken part in the demonstrations.

It is only six years since the first democratic elections in Myanmar seemed to presage its admission into the comity of nations after decades of military rule. They marked a personal triumph for Aung San Suu Kyi, for years held under house arrest before international pressure secured her release. Suu Kyi, while spurning formal office, was the power behind the new government and consequently blotted her reputation as a human rights champion when she failed to stand up for the persecuted Muslim Rohingyas.